


New Year's Eve

by strawberriesandcream



Category: Coronation Street
Genre: Corrie's writing of the make up was so bland, F/F, short-ish but sweet, so I decided to rewrite it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 04:39:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17277218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberriesandcream/pseuds/strawberriesandcream
Summary: My interpretation of how the New Year's make up should have gone.





	New Year's Eve

**Author's Note:**

> We all know the Corrie writers let us down with the unseasoned make-up dialogue and the fact that Rana was the one apologising.
> 
> I am still working on the final chapter of 'Ours' but I've hit the wall of writers block but it is almost finished.
> 
> Happy New Year all :)

Receiving a text from an ex, who you broke up with almost a year ago, is a strange thing. That ex also happened to be a little on the clingy side so Kate was wary when she swiped her phone opened to the message. It was a casual _“hey”_ at first, which then evolved into _“how are you?”_ and that was when the can opened. Kate was brief in her telling of her breakup with Rana, she was still reeling from it and couldn’t read between the lines of Imogen’s message.

She said she saw Rana at a gay bar in town the other night and that Rana was getting cosy with her friend, Tiff. That was the stab in the heart for Kate. Was Rana so incensed by her actions that she was already moving on? To another _woman?_ In their relationship, Rana had grown with confidence about how attracted to women she was. Kate would tease her by making a cheeky comment about a random girl they’d pass in the street and Rana would smack her on the arm. The tide turned when Rana blurted out how hot a woman in a club was one night and Kate was more impressed than jealous.

What Imogen failed to tell her, was that nothing came of Rana’s comfortable conversation with Tiff. Rana was torn away the minute she saw that look in Imogen’s eye when she told her Kate was single. From that moment on, Rana’s mind was solely set on Kate. She didn’t want her to be with anyone else but her, yet in her mind, what Kate did was unforgivable and selfish and for that reason, she didn’t want to be in that position.

So here she was, sat in the Rovers after coming face to face with her ex-girlfriend, who happens to be behind the bar today. Thankfully for Rana, Alya was visiting friends in Liverpool for New Years and wasn’t here to glare at Kate every second. She did have Imran and Toyah though. Who would have thought they’d be her arm and leg during this dreadfully festive season?

“You should talk to her.” Toyah said after seeing the longing look on the younger woman’s face.

“I would but I don’t want to.” Rana said in a mildly slurred tone.

“You’re not making any sense.” Imran was annoyingly sober. “What she did was cruel.”

Rana groaned. “I know – I know. But every time I look at her, I don’t want to see another girl on her arm.”

“Look, Rana. I know how happy she made you so of course I want you to get back with her but at the same time, I don’t want you to be the one angling for getting back together. She should be the one of her knees.” Imran crossed his arms as he looked over to the bar where Kate was serving a customer. She was sporting a headband that had a fake piece of mistletoe hanging from it and Imran huffed at the sight of it.

“He’s got a point.” Toyah nodded along as she took a sip of her tonic water.

“She’s got a bit of nerve for asking how Tiff was. You should’ve asked her how Adam was.” Imran added with a bit of bite. 

Rana looked up at him, her brows furrowed.

“I think that’s a bit rash. We don’t want to frustrate their relationship anymore.” Toyah said with reason.

Rana looked up at the bar and saw Kate placing a pint of bitter in front of a punter. She smiled as the customer handed her a note. Rana’s mouth sagged at the sides as she watched her.

“Maybe I should talk to her.” She said before hastily getting up from the booth and making a beeline for the bar.

She came to a halt when she saw that same face from a couple of nights ago. Imogen walked in without noticing her. The blonde was dressed as if she was going out tonight.

“Hey!” She called out to Kate.

“Imogen! Got my text then?” Kate asked as she came around the bar.

“Mistletoe, eh?” Imogen referred to the dangling decoration from Kate’s head. The brunette pointed to her cheek and the blonde happily placed a kiss on it.

Rana’s heart faltered at the sight of Kate being marginally happier than she was right now. She retreated to the booth and slumped onto the seat.

“Dad, am I okay to leave to go out with Imogen tonight?” Kate asked Johnny.

He looked at his watch. “Give me half an hour and you’re free to go.”

Kate winked at Imogen before looking past her to see Rana who was moping at the table. 

“You’re not still interested in her?” Imogen asked but Kate didn’t hear her. She was still fixated on Rana who downed a shot with ease.

“You know she was quite happy with Tiff. God knows what might have happened if I hadn’t turned up.” Imogen added, knowing how to push Kate’s buttons.

“What?” Kate came right back to her. “I’m not interested, no way.” Kate’s jaw tightened as she tried to distract herself with another customer.

“You know, I can’t do this.” Rana got up unsteadily and attempted to grab her jacket, much to the surprise of Toyah. Her tone was laced with hurt and she headed straight for the door, much to Imogen’s pleasure.

“Wait, you can’t just bail.”

“Maybe we should let her go home. Doesn’t look like she’s getting that apology out anytime soon.” Imran purposely raised his voice at the end to ensure that some ears were to perk up. Kate’s eyes met his which were darkened with disappointment; then they immediately went to Rana who was out of the door in a flash.

“Let her get some air at least.” Toyah insisted as she watched the Rovers doors slam shut.

Rana staggered her way to the memorial garden and sat on the bench with her head in her hands. Imran was right; she shouldn’t be the one to apologise but she couldn’t show Kate so much weakness.

She looked up at the sound of some revellers walking past Roy’s towards the pub. A group of tipsy friends wearing 2019 hats and sunglasses; one tripped on. Rana wished she was on their end of the emotional spectrum. Instead, her attention went to the sound of Kate’s voice. 

“We could get a taxi into town, or a bus? Depending on which is quicker to arrive.” Kate suggested as she rummaged through her clutch bag.

“Probably a cab. Shall I try and get one whilst you sort yourself out there?” Imogen said, referring to Kate fumbling around on the pavement.

“Yeah, sorry, I think I left my phone in the back. I won’t be a minute.” Kate went back inside the Rovers.

“That was short-lived – it’s not even 2019 and you’re already back.” Johnny looked at his daughter in confusion as she walked past him. 

“Left my phone, didn’t I?” She rolled her eyes as she picked it up from beside the till on the bar. 

“Seems like it’s not the only thing you’ve forgotten.” Imran jibed from the other side as he finished the remainder of his beer and Toyah nudged him to stop. 

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, it’s just that there seems to be a distinct lack of apology from you lately.” Imran continued. 

“Look mate, there’s no need for this. I think you better lay off the beers.” Johnny said as he tried to simmer the tensions that were heightened. 

“I’ll have you know that I am perfectly fine, Johnny. However, the same can’t be said for my sister.”

“Well she’s fine by the sounds of things.” Kate responded.

“Only by what you’ve heard from someone who wants a piece of you now that you’re “happily” single. We were the ones who took Rana out the other night. She only chatted to this Tiff, it barely got off the runway.”

“I can vouch for that. We only wanted her to feel better.” Toyah nodded along. “She’s pretty cut up about things.”

“She’s the one who ended things-”

“Because of what _you_ did. I want to say this in the nicest way possible, Kate, but your actions put her in a position where she could no longer take this. She’s spent most of tonight wanting to be with you but I can see now that you’re a little pre-occupied.” Imran finished. He didn’t want to say a lot more because it was Rana’s battle to win. He moved away from the bar and back to the booth as Toyah hurried after him.

Kate stood on the spot. She had been challenged and Imran’s words rang through her ears. Rana was still in love with her, so in love with her that she had spent most of the night drowning her sorrows at the sight of Imogen.

“You alright, love?” Johnny asked her to bring her back to Earth.

“Yeah, I need to go. I’ll see you later, Dad.” Kate gave him a peck on the cheek and ran out of the pub where she met Imogen.

“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting here for about 5 minutes, cab ready and all. Thought you’d started on the drinks without me.” Imogen remarked; she was clearly annoyed and a bit too adamant to get Kate in the cab, away from Weatherfield… away from Rana.

“Yeah sorry, I got waylaid.” Kate replied, her interest had waned. Imogen opened the passenger door and got in. Kate hesitated once again.

“If you want to be in town for New Years, you better get in.” Imogen stated as she looked up at Kate.

The brunette took in her surroundings, the fireworks that were already tinting the sky, the door to the flat where she wanted to go home to and share a bed tonight with her fiancée. 

“Sorry, Imogen. I know who I want to see the New Year in with and that’s person is the girl I plan on marrying.” She shut the door on a shocked Imogen, patted the car roof and the driver went off.

With one obstacle out of the way, Kate now had to overcome several others – finding Rana and fixing their relationship. She wouldn’t have made it home, she did have a few too many to drink and Kate wasn’t so sure that Rana would have been able to put the key in the flat door. She wasn’t at Maxine’s bench opposite Audrey’s so Kate set about looking for her. 

“Rana?” She called out but there was no answer. She popped into the Bistro but she was nowhere to be found, the bus-stops were empty and there was no sign of her at the chippy. 

Kate was about to conclude that Rana could have made it to the flat but she could see a face lighting up under the constant glitter of the fireworks in the memorial garden.

She sighed contently knowing Rana was not only safe but found solace in a place that Kate herself found comfort.

“I was getting worried.” Kate started which surprised Rana.

“I’m just resting.” Rana mumbled as she looked down to the ground. Kate sighed and sat beside her on the bench.

“Can we talk?”

“I thought you were going out… seeing the New Year in with your returnee girlfriend.” Rana said in hurt, not making eye contact with the brunette.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Kate shook her head. “She’s not even… a friend. I told her what I wanted and it’s not her. 

“Strange – that’s not the vibe I was getting from you.”

“I mean it, Rana! I’m so sorry for hurting you by using Adam, wanting a baby… I never put your feelings first because I was so wrapped up in my own bereavement that I felt like I needed to replace the hole Aidan had left. I know I'm rash and I jump to decisions too quickly but these recent actions of mine have taught me that if I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you... I need to listen to you. I hate myself for letting it get to this point for me to figure out what was going on in my head.” Kate apologised and Rana finally looked up at her, her makeup marred by tears. “I was unreasonable, selfish. Going out with Imogen, I’m- I just thought you didn’t want to be with me anymore and the best way to get over it, was to start moving on. I thought you had.”

“Because Imogen said I had.” Rana said and Kate kicked herself for believing her ex-girlfriend over the women she was intending to spend the rest of her life with.

Kate gazed up at the sky where the number of fireworks had increased as time ticked closer to midnight.

“I told Imogen that the I want to say goodbye to 2018 with the person that I plan on marrying in 2019.” Kate said. “So, I shut the car door on her face and went looking for that person. Here I am.”

There was a period of silence between them and Kate knew that Rana was thinking about it in her head.

“I really want to make you happy. And with that, I want us to be married and take our time with every major step because I know that’s what would make our relationship work.” Kate put her hands on Rana’s face and looked into her eyes. “Because I love you.”

 They heard the volume of noise in the Rovers increase and Kate looked at her phone, there were only seconds left of this year.

_10…9…8…_

“It’s only a matter of time” Kate grinned as Rana’s face softened.

_7…6...5…4…_

“I love you.” Rana blurted out.

_3…2…1_

The sky above erupted in a rich display of fireworks; there were cheers and the sound of car horns along with drunken partygoers breaking out into song on the street. Kate leaned forward and the two embraced with a kiss. They had missed the taste of each other’s lips, their differing scents… just being in close proximity of each other. Rana slipped her arms around Kate’s waist; her grip was tight as though she never wanted to separate from her again. 

“Happy New Year.” Kate whispered as she pulled away, her brown eyes warmer than ever at the sight of Rana in her arms.

“Happy New Year.”


End file.
